Interview with Fieldguided

Amanda showed me the blog Fieldguided when we were living together a couple of years ago. It was full of cats, music, flowers, clothes, design, decorating, and beautiful photography. I was instantly hooked. It's because of this blog that I listen to Bill Callahan, shop at Robber, and grew out my bangs.  A couple months ago, I interviewed Anabela for a profile section in Vive Magazine. We had coffee at Luna Café on Dovercourt and chatted about writing, blogging, creative output, and how to keep a blog going for 5+ years.

This interview is in the latest issue of Vive. It was cut down due to space restrictions, but this, right here, is the whole shebang. Thanks Vive for letting me publish this here! 

photo by Dan Epstein

LKM: When did you decide to start blogging?

AC: Well, I had a Livejournal, I think I started it in like 1999. I think I worked out my blogging related kinks then—because it was very confessional. I think it was helpful because it just prevented me from having that same tone later on. And then I stopped after a while. But I kind of liked having a blog that was not private and that I could just write in whenever I wanted. And I had a couple of other ones that I just started and stopped. I was doing a Masters Degree in library studies and I had to take a very basic computer type of class, and they had us create a blog as an assignment. So Fieldguided actually started when I made it for a class. But I knew that I’d continue with it anyway, because it was something I’d been meaning to do. I had another blog that I was sort of phasing out at the time that was more specific and focused. But I never intended for it to be read by more than five people.

"I can make an off-hand comment about a colour of lipstick that I’m interested in and I’ll get like six different people recommending different things that I should check out. I think that’s pretty cool."

LKM: So you were interested in writing before that? Or did the Livejournal thing just sort of start you off?

AC: I mean I don’t consider myself a writer. I did go to journalism school for a few years, so it’s always something that I’ve enjoyed. But I’m not a writer. I think that’s a muscle that you have to flex from time to time, and I’m really out of practice. I don’t do much writing on my blog. But I’ve always enjoyed it—I used to have pen pals when I was a kid—now it’s email pals, I guess.

LKM: If someone asked you what kind of blog you have… I’m sure they do all the time.—how would you describe it?

AC: It’s hard to say… it’s sort of everything. I try not to make it about me, so I don’t really consider it a lifestyle blog. It’s not about one thing in particular. I guess it’s about things that I like, and some of it is my life, like photos about things in my life.

People use “lifestyle” as a catchall, but then I look at other blogs that are more lifestyle blogs, and that’s not me. It’s not a fashion blog, it’s not a design blog, it’s just…

LKM: I think it incorporates a lot of those things though…

AC: Yeah. I don’t think there is a term for it, really.

LKM: You should make one!

AC: [Ha ha] Yeah, I should. But it’s funny, a lot of the blogs I read are about exactly that—they’re about everything and nothing in particular.

LKM: What’s your favourite part about having the blog part of Fiedguided?

AC: It still is really amazing to get feedback and comments from people all over the place. I try not to pay too much attention to stats and things like that, just because I would go crazy if I focused on that too much. And, as I said before, I never intended to have an audience or like… readers. And I still feel uncomfortable saying “my readers” because it’s like… “Who are you?”

But it’s amazing. I can make an off-hand comment about a colour of lipstick that I’m interested in and I’ll get like six different people recommending different things that I should check out. I think that’s pretty cool. It’s a little bit of dialogue with people all over.

"When I’m feeling most uninspired, blah, whatever, it really does help to just force myself to go somewhere and take pictures and just do something even if it’s out of my comfort zone."

LKM: What about some of the experiences that have come from that? I know that you do lots of photo stuff and you have your screen-printed bags, obviously. Did that come out of having the blog?

AC: Yeah! Not just having my blog but also reading a lot of other blogs and really feeling inspired to do something creative. Like I said, I was doing my Masters in Library Studies and working at my current job, which is at a library, typesetting books. I don’t really get to do anything very creative. So I was just really inspired to do that kind of thing. Geoff has a background in art, so that kind of helped. Everything that I know about photography is through him.

But I’ve had so many amazing opportunities, I have to admit. Like being able to have an online store, which is really cool. And not having to worry too much about advertising and just rely more on word of mouth. I was invited to be in a group photography show in London last year, and I don’t think that would have happened if I didn’t have the blog. We were invited to take part in a handmade market in Portland a couple years ago, called Little Winter—and that wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t have the blog, because they just wouldn’t have known who I was.  So these experiences come from fostering relationships with other bloggers, I guess. A lot of the friends I have now, in Toronto, are through blogging. I ended up becoming good friends with Katie who has the thank you/okay blog—she had just moved to Toronto and was looking for Toronto blogs, and then she found me and we met and just got along really well. And same thing with Bre from Scout Catalogue… so yeah, it’s pretty cool. It can be difficult to make new friends, but that’s something that I started doing back in the Livejournal days. I once drove to Manhattan to stay with somebody that I met on Livejournal, and it was really fun! So there have been a lot of great things that have come through it.

I know that a lot of my blogging friends have had really bad experiences in terms of people being anonymously mean to them or whatever. But definitely, there have been so many good things that even if there had been more of that coming I would still really enjoy that. It would still be worthwhile.

LKM: Have you had any negative experiences?

AC: No.  I mean I have had the occasional anonymous comment that wasn’t very kind, but I don’t really let those get to me, and I don’t take them seriously, because obviously they’re just a one-dimensional. I mean, I don’t want it to happen. And sometimes I get kind of cynical ad tired and I just don’t want to do it anymore because I don’t have time. But I think I’ll always continue to do it.

At one point I was taking sponsorships, so I had ads on my blog from independent businesses. And when I did that and I was taking people’s money, I felt a lot of pressure to continue to blog constantly, like at least three or four times a week.

LKM: Did you have to write about specific things?

AC: No, when I set it up I never stipulated that that’s something I would do. I didn’t really charge a lot—but I guess it’s hard to say what’s a lot—and I had to try to make sure that people were happy with the outcome. But I did feel a lot of… well I just did it to myself, the pressure, because there more you post the more hits you get, the more hits they potentially get.

LKM: And that becomes a financial transaction.

AC: So that was a difficult period for me, in terms of angst and like “What am I doing?” But it’s generally a really positive thig.

LKM: So on a day-to-day basis, it’s more a positive thing than a negative thing.

AC: Yeah. If anything ever flares up it’s not a big deal. Every once in a while I’ll have a friend look at my blog and they’ll make a comment and I’ll feel really misunderstood. Like… “NO! You know me! That’s not me!” when they’ve suddenly lumped me in with like this Hello Giggles cupcake thing. And I’m like “Really? Do you know me at all?” So when that sort of thing happens I get a little frustrated, but it’s not a big deal.

LKM: On the days when you’re just coming up with creative content, and it’s really difficult, what do you do for inspiration? Where do you go?

AC: I think that when it comes to that kind of thing—because it happens all the time, like I’m just kind of constantly in a state of that—these days I try to maintain a list of potential ideas, although I don’t have anything on the list right now. But when it comes to that I try to… well I try to create a lot of my own content. I really don’t like reposting things that I’ve seen elsewhere. I did a post recently on a really cool photographer that I hadn’t seen around very much—I hadn’t seen her blogged about on other blogs and I thought her work was really beautiful, and that it would make my blog look nice. So I’ll do that kind of thing from time to time, but I really like it to make my own content. So when I’m feeling most uninspired, blah, whatever, it really does help to just force myself to go somewhere and take pictures and just do something even if it’s out of my comfort zone. Like a while ago I visited the Fortnight Lingerie studio, and that was not the ideal circumstance because they weren’t in production that day so they didn’t have a lot going on. It was just a quiet day, and the lighting was terrible because it was a really gloomy day and I didn’t have any special lighting with me or anything.

LKM: But the pictures turned out fine!

AC: But I thought it looked really nice, and it was positive for her. But I can be really shy. And she lives at the studio, too, so asking “Can I come to your house/studio?” But she was really great about it. That’s something that I have to force myself to do. But then it ended up being really great and I was glad I did it.  So it usually comes down to taking pictures, or trying to do something different. But it’s hard!

"I try not to swear [on the blog]. You never know which fairly religious person might be into tote bags."

LKM: Have you ever been recognized or approached by someone on the street?

AC: I have! Generally that mostly happens when we do sales, like when we did the Holiday Market, when we’ve done a couple at The Workroom, and I always have people come up to me and say that they read the blog—which is really nice. But in terms of people coming up to me on the street… it has happened once or twice. One time—this is a few summers ago—I was on Bloor Street and I had this basket on me, and I had just written about my baskets and someone recognized me.  But it doesn’t happen too often.

Since I work at U of T—in Robarts where there’s a lot of young people around, some really… fashion blogger looking people—I’m always worried that there might be somebody who reads my blog, because I’m just so frumpy. Like when I go to get a coffee I just don’t look at anybody! I’m usually grumpy at work, and I’m wearing whatever I threw on in the five minutes I had. It’s not a big deal, but it’s in the back of my mind every once in a while. If somebody makes eye contact for more than three seconds, I’m like…uh oh. But that sounds really arrogant! It doesn’t really happen. And I think when you’re in Toronto you’re generally safe from people approaching you randomly. It doesn’t really happen very much.

LKM: But you do share quite a bit about your life, right? Like the neighbourhood where you live, and stuff like that. So I’m sure there are people who feel like a bit of a kinship.

AC: That reminds me! Somebody did leave me a comment a while back saying that they saw me—I don’t know if it was regularly or if it was just once—but that they saw me riding my bike along Harbord St. on my way to work, and I was just like “Arrrrhhhh.” That would have been in the summer, and I would have been all red and sweaty and on my way to work. But I thought that was cute.

LKM: Can you talk a little bit about the separation between who you are online and who you are in real life? Do you see a big difference?

AC: I don’t see a big difference, because it’s all in there. There are certain things that I won’t talk about—especially on Twitter where it’s much more immediate, it’s much more… I mean for somebody who tweets as much as I do, there’s a chance to let a lot more slide.  It’s not as edited I guess. I try not to swear. Because you never know like which fairly religious person might be into tote bags. And if there’s no need then I’m not going to. So just little things like that. And I feel like things like sarcasm do not travel well online, so I try to refrain from being overly sarcastic or cynical or things that people might misinterpret and take offense at.

LKM: But that’s something that you don’t necessarily restrain from in person?

AC: No, in person I can be just as sarcastic and mean as anybody else—with my friends anyway—but I try not to do that online. I just don’t want to get into anything with anyone. It’s just not worth it.

LKM: What kind of advice would you give to girls out there who are interested in starting a blog but maybe don’t know how to start. How do you start it? Stick with it?

AC: I think definitely, and this might contradict what I just said, I think it’s really important to be yourself. It sounds cheesy, but people are really interested in other people. I think that the most popular blogs out there are the ones where people constantly post pictures of their lives, pictures of themselves, talk about themselves and what they’re doing. People love that stuff, you know? They want to see who you are.

It’s crazy to me how I can just write these repository-type posts I have and feel ridiculous when I write them sometimes because I’m giving my opinion on this thing. Sometimes I think… who cares? But people do care! They like to read that kind of thing. So I think it’s important to not fake it.  I guess I sensor myself in some ways—more like edit myself. But it’s still me, it’s still true to who I am and I stand behind it. And then in terms of sticking with it? I don’t know… I’d like to figure that out too.

LKM: Five years is pretty impressive!

AC: Yeah, I mean if only five people read it I probably would have abandoned it a long time ago.

LKM: Do you feel responsible to your readers in some ways?

AC: Not really, and I don’t know if that comes out of a kind of self-deprecating streak where I’m just like “Ugh, nobody’s going to care if I don’t write a blog post for three weeks,” but I’ll get a comment occasionally that’s like “I’m always excited when you post” or something. So that’s nice. And then on the other hand there’s the business end of things. I need to keep my profile up and not let my stuff be forgotten. But here’s my advice: If you don’t love it then don’t do it. Don’t keep it up because then there’s no point. But if you enjoy it then you’ll find a way to stick with it.

LKM: Where do you see Fieldguided going in the future?

AC: As the blog?

LKM: Or as more than the blog…

AC: That’s a good question, I wish I knew. I would love to be able to do it full time, and I would love to expand the line, because it’s so tiny at this point, which is just a matter of finances. But there’s so many other things that I would love to do, but I just don’t know if that will happen. We do have a couple of things in the works, a couple of collaborations, but there are lots of other things that I’d like to get into.

I would love to be able to do that full time, and to become a full-time business person and just have the blog on the side. That’s the dream, but I don’t know if it’ll ever happen. But if, in a year, we’re still going at the same pace, that’s fine too. I feel like I have enough going on. I’m constantly busy and I kind of like it. But it can be overwhelming. I don’t know, is that depressing? The same place in a year? I’m pretty happy with how things have been going. 

Weekly Perks e04

Here's the fourth installation of our weekly content farming—or as we like to call it: content curation. 

via juliasegal

Our friend Laura Jane (and her friends Liz and Jen) has an awesome blog called Strawberry Fields Whatever. It's about music and life and everything. I think I may be kindred spirits with Liz based on this one post she wrote called My Top 6 Summertime Muses, which includes the Beastie Boys, the new Cat Power song, and her love for Springsteen.

One of the best articles I've read in a very long time – like, the kind that forced me to reassess life decisions. After reading I Was A Warehouse Wage Slave by Mac McClelland, you'll never feel the same about Amazon et al. again.

I got this incredible Cuchara necklace today from Muttonhead on Ossington. I am completely obsessed. It's big and bright and heavy, and it feels really nice and substantial. 

via Zomromcom

I love this picture because it looks like these girls are just having a great time rollerskating and talking shit. I had such an amazing Sunday hanging out with some of my favourite girls and talking lots of shit.

This hair tutorial (which I can't actually embed) shows you how to do two really cool top knots that are perfect for dirty-hair days and the summer heat. I especially love the super-teased bun and how much it looks like a birds nest. The aftermath of backcombing your hair can be really gross, but her tip of slathering it in oil before you shower makes it much easier to comb out. The one caveat of this awesome video, though, is that this cute, cool-glasses, tattooed girl makes a reference to Sideshow Bob and calls him "that crazy guy from the Simpsons." Like, c'mon, don't be lazy. Everyone knows his name. That's really dumb. 

Swap Scores

Amanda hosted a swap on Saturday and it was so much fun! I drank too many mimosas and forgot to document the actual swapping activity (also, I was too busy secretly burrowing away pieces that I wanted so only I'd know where to find them. All's fair in love and swap!!). Instead, I made some of the girls pose with their favourite piece that they took home. Here are the lovely ladies and the stuff they scored.

Name: Jamie

Item: Black handbag

I love it because: It has a long shoulder strap and I love the gold and black colour combo. 

Name: Sarah

Item: Black lace babydoll

I love it because: It's black and it's free. What's not to like?

Name: Jessica

Item: Denim vest

I love it because: I feel like Springsteen

Name: Caitlin

Item: Plaid shirt

I love it because: I have a love affair with plaid. Also, it's a good colour and super cozy.

Name: Stephanie

Item: Houndstooth sweater

I love it because: It's classy but cozy!

Name: Katie

Item: Black skull and crossbones cardigan

I love it because: It fits and it's fun.

Name: Karen

Item: Striped tee and blue ceramic necklace

I love it because: Stripes are perfect to dress up a tee for spring!

Name: Laura Kathleen

Item: White denim shorts

I love it because: I can never have enough pairs of shorts... I wear them all year round.

Name: Amanda

Item: Suede bomber jacket

I love it because: it's the perfect neutral colour, plus I feel a bit like a lady greaser

All in all it was a perfect day, and I think we all went home happy (and with more room in our closets). Thanks girls!

The Food is Out There

My good friends Andrea and Genna are the best kind of foodies. They're the opposite of snobs—they'll try everything, they are creative and hilarious, and they know exactly where to look for food inspiration. Their blog The Food is Out There is full of photos, recipes, info about yummy hot spots in Toronto and L.A., and ideas to make your take-out favourites at home. From close-up photos of Ikea meatballs to celebrating St. Patrick's Day with Daphne Guinness taking a pint bath, these girls and their brilliant food-related ideas have me laughing with every post. And just try to keep yourself from ordering Genna's tasty treats at Club Sandwich.

Need more convincing that these girls love their food? Here is me, eating with both of them.

And you should know that if they can keep up with me, then they love their food. You should probably check them out. If you like our recipes then you'll love these girls.

Purple Tie Dye Party

On Sunday night, instead of watching the Super Bowl or that awesome 60 Minutes interview on remarkable women (Meryl, Anna, and Dolly! You can watch it here.) I hung out with some of my favourite girls and we tie dyed. It was awesome. We all had a bunch of clothes to dye but we all wanted to use the same colour—and now we're all wearing purple the colour of grape juice.

I opted to dye my amazing sheer-backed shirt that I got from White Crow in the summer. I had more or less stopped wearing it due to a chicken chow mein stain right on the front (which you can still see if you look hard enough, but nevermind!) Dying it proved the perfect opportunity to give it a new life!

 Since the front is cotton and the back is a chiffon-like fabric, the dye took to each side differently, giving the front and back a slightly different colour. I couldn't be happier with the results. The only problem? After an hour with the clothing steamer, I still can't get all the wrinkles out!

Here's a tank that I did.

This was my first foray into dying clothes, and after seeing how easy it is I've now caught some kind of bug. I have so many clothes that I don't wear anymore—an old white button-up, a thin sweater that has a pattern I'm sick of—and with an all-over dye or even a dip dye, I think I could be wearing those pieces again. Who needs to go shopping anyway?


And here, the almost-highlight of the night (after Youtubing the incredible Madonna halftime show, natch), are my friend Sasha's nails. She did these—you're not gonna believe it—by hand. Both hands. It must have taken hours.

vive magazine issue 4.1

I'm going to have to toot my own horn today because I'm feeling pretty proud of myself: the digital version of vive is now online. The mag looks even better in print, but if you missed our launch party, don't live in Toronto, or are an online-only mag sort of girl, then you are now in luck. 

READ IT HERE!

All I'm allowed to share with you here are teasers of the two major shoots that we did, the first by Dan Epstein and the second by Alan Poon:

So much hard work went into this mag, from the editors on the masthead to the photographers, writers, stylists, models, copyeditors, everyone—not to mention the bake sale buyers and party goers who helped us raise the money to print this baby. It was not easy, nor did I expect it to be. But the experience of putting this mag together with so many talented people has been invaluable and a lot of fun. We've already started on the next issue, due out in the spring.

vive has a very similar look and aesthetic to what we do here on Burgundy Girls, so if you love us (or love our blog) then you'll enjoy the mag as well. And, if you zoom in just enough, you'll see an article written by Amanda! (And seriously, it's a good one.) We'll soon post a list of the shops and cafes in Toronto where you can find vive, so check back on the blog if you want to get your hands on an issue!

We are always looking for new contributors—writers, photographers, illustrators, bloggers, etc., so please get in touch at sayhi@vivemagazine.ca if you are interested.

Oh, and one more thing. I love working for a print magazine, but the digital version is very special to me, because—let's be real—it will be able to spread faster, be seen by more people, and generally be able to go further than print can. This year, we will be releasing an online-only version or two, and I'm excited to take advantage of the digital platform and push the envelope a bit.

Best Halloween Costumes I've Seen

I thought since most of us adults have celebrated Halloween already (doesn't it feel like it's already has come and gone? Today is just a normal day...) that I'd post my fave costumes of the year. And don't worry, I'll keep posting more as I find them. Thanks Facebook non-privacy settings, for letting me steal all the pics. Feel free to send me more at heyburgundygirls@gmail.com and I'll post them.

This is sexy Rob Ford's 911 tape, FYI

How to Do Disney World

In one week's time, I'll be heading down Florida-way with my chief ride-or-die homegirl, Gillian, to the happiest place on earth. Yes, we're headed to Disney World, and there's no one in the world I'd rather do it with. We first went just after graduation (four years ago! My, how time flies), and had such a blast that we plan on making it a tradition.

But there are rules to doing Disney right. See, G and I are dead-set on maximizing our fun, and we're equipped with a plan. Last time we went was pretty spectacular, but this time, we've got the code down pat. So I've invited her infinite wisdom to help me collect the rules and prep for our 6 days of magic.

G: Don't worry if you don't like kids. I don't much care for children. I find them obnoxious and smelly and loud and lame. The awesome thing about Disney World is that kids are almost absent from my entire experience. Kids like shit like character meetings, parades, and leaving a park after two hours because they're "overstimulated." If you avoid these things (like any self-respecting childfree adult), you're in the clear. Also, the children you do see at Disney World tend to be happy and occupied, so they're at least 30% less annoying than they are in your neighbourhood. Bonus: If you stay at a Moderate to Deluxe level resort, you will barely encounter small children at all.

A: Get snap happy. This is no time to be a classy tourist – consider it a challenge to fill your camera's memory card. When I went to Paris, I took only pictures on film with my medium format Holga – fine for Paris, but a tragedy for Disney. You want pictures of yourselves soaked after Splash Mountain. You want pictures of yourselves attempting to finish huge ice cream cones. You want pictures of yourselves posing with the themed statues. And you definitely want a picture of yourselves in front of Cinderella's Castle. Whenever I'm feeling a bit low, I look at the pictures from our last trip and feel like I'm shooting up Vitamin D.

G: Write down all the crazy shit you observe. Amanda and I have some solid memories from our first trip in 2007 – for example, a morbidly obese 40-something woman with a teetering tray full of food shouting, "I got yer chicken strips, Scooter!" across a crowded Colonial-themed quick service restaurant. One can only hope she was addressing her son Scooter, and not a lover of the same name. Oh lord, we have memories! But I get sad when I contemplate all the gems we've lost to the passage of time. This time, I'll be bustin' out a notebook on the regular so every tableaux of Life in Modern America is catalogued and archived.

A: Have a soundtrack. I can't stress the importance of this enough. You know how you can hear a certain song and it transports you back to a particular time in your life? You want music that makes you feel that way about Disney World. For me, that includes Elton John's "Rocket Man", Kanye's "Touch the Sky" and the Beatles' "Two of Us". They were all on our original mix, and every time I hear those songs, I feel like I'm on vacation. This is especially important for G because she really hates flying – during takeoff, we play the mix, hold hands, and cruise on south.

G: You should – nay, you MUST – go in the off season. Not only can you get a free dining plan and afford a nicer hotel, but you will spend less time in lines. The best time of year to go is late August/early September, when US schoolchildren are already back in the classroom. No kids! And the kids that are there are better behaved. The type of parent negligent enough to take their kid out of the first or second week of school is totes crazy enough to tell their kid to shut the fuck up in the line for Space Mountain.

A: Disney ain't for dieting. Especially if you're dining on Disney's dime (with your well-timed free dining plan). You get a free pass. Go hogwild. And make sure to bundle two of your regular dinners for one of the signature dinners so you get a fancy night out. Our fave is an evening at Narcoossee's so we can spring for a nice bottle of wine and get Surf 'n Turf while we watch the fireworks burst over the castle.

G: If you never went as a child, best believe you'll have fun as an adult. You need to take the risk (as my homegirl Amanda did when I begged her to make a BFF trip after we graduated university) and trust that Disney World is just as (if not MORE) magical as an adult. Think about it: you're choosing your travelling companion, you can drink your way across the nations of Epcot's World Showcase, and you are better able to appreciate all the wack shit going on. Besides, when you have children, they will ruin Disney for you. They will constantly want to go to the bathroom and buy shit and spill things and cry, and that will totally cramp your style. Enjoy Disney with a ride-or-die homie while you have the chance, which leads me to...

G: Only go with someone you're ride-or-die with. This is serious. I once heard Holly Madison say on a Girls Next Door DVD commentary track that she felt like you couldn't truly know her unless you'd been to Disney with her. Not only did I realize that Holly and I are soultwins, but I would go one further. If you aren't a BFF I'd want to grow old with in some Golden Girls-type arrangement or full-on wifey material, I am not going to Disney World with you. And you should have the same parameters. Going to Disney is like going to Heaven or Atlantis. Would you want to look back on your trip to Atlantis (the mythical place, not the horrendously tacky Bahamian resort) and think, "Oh yeah. I was there with that girl I met through [insert ridiculous 20-something hobby you'll have since abandoned in favour of TV] who only wanted to talk about her gluten allergy"? No, you do not. Don't taint a magical experience with anyone other that your A-Team.

A: Challenge yourself. This year, I'm going to do the Tower of Terror. I'm going to do it. There's no way I can back out. Even though it combines two of my least favourite things – ghosts and that awful stomach-dropping feeling – I can't NOT do it this year. I wussed out last time and have regretted it ever since. If G can face her fear of flying to get down to the Magic Kingdom, I can do a ride that sticky-faced 7 year olds can manage. But that being said...

A: Don't challenge yourself too much. Take it easy. Feeling hot? Feeling run down? Go back to your room and take a nap. This ain't no marathon – this is vacation, and vacation's about feeling good. The last time we went, G ended up getting really sick, so we upped our relaxin': early evenings back at the hotel room, a couple trips out to the drug store, late morning sleep-ins. The one day we stuck it out was our Epcot day and as a compromise, I ended up pushing Gill around in a wheelchair. It was probably the least fun day of the trip, but a so-so day in Disney is still an awesome day by real world standards. We ended up with sweet pictures and I ended up with slightly more toned arms.

Taking it easy also includes rolling with the punches – don't get worked up over dumb stuff. The lineup's really long at the Haunted Mansion? Then grab a fast pass and wait out the clock on It's a Small World. Family in front of you being assholes? You'll never have to see them again in 10 minutes' time. Feeling like you need some alone time? Then say so and go read in a hammock for a bit. Predict your needs so you stay chill, and keep hydrated. It helps if you've chosen your Disney companion well and they are similarly even-tempered.

G: Buy an ear hat. Trust me, this will add to your experience. If you're not wearing an ear hat, you haven't fully given yourself to the experience. A part of you is still holding back thinking, "What will all these people think of me and my best friend, both women in our 20s without kids, arm in arm, each holding giant ice creams in our hands and wearing mouse ears on our heads?" Answer: Take a look around. You are surrounded by fellow nerds looking to have a good time. It's time to go full retard. The experience of being around a bunch of other adults who are all geeking out about being at Disney World is akin to waiting in line for a new Apple product on opening day. There is an immediate familiarity among everyone in the group. Even if you aren't super into iWhatevers, you know that these are your people. Also, the hats are a classic. Not only will you own a piece of classic Americana, but you can start a creepy collection of the hats you get with each visit. (Note: A collection of any kind is advanced level Disney shit.)

Love you girl! Just one week!

Do you do Disney?

Got any tips or things we have to try?

Tavi's Rookie: Important Things We Can Learn From Teenagers

I won't even pretend to think that all teen girls are as intelligent, enlightened, and seemingly confident as Tavi Gevinson, but I think we can all learn a lot from this little bite-sized tot. Rookie Mag launched earlier this week, and it you haven't already you need to check it out now.

One article in particular that's been posted, written by Tavi herself, really struck me. It's called "Getting Over Girl Hate," and it deals with an issue that I am incredibly guilty of. By the way, if we are friends, even acquaintances, and you are a female, I have been jealous of you at some point.

This is a diagram she drew, explaining how women are taught to hate each other. A bit of an exaggeration, but comical to say the least.

This is something that seems to come naturally to me, and as the article argues, to society in general: when I see or meet a cool, pretty, stylish, smart girl my first reaction is "I hate her." My close-second reaction, however, at least in more recent years, has been "I want to be her friend." It's a pretty real struggle, because I have met a lot of really incredible girls in the last few years, and kept friendships with others for many years. I, at some point, realized that these feelings came from a place of insecurity and not any real animosity. It's nice to be able to take a step back and use my energy not to hate on these girls, but to join them in their awesomeness. Having friendships with other women is one of the most liberating and inspiring parts of my life; you can learn from each other, teach each other, work together, and generally be better because of each other.

It'll do you all good to read the article here. This is a multi-generational lesson that will benefit every woman, no matter her age.

So thanks, Tavi, for reminding me that you kids are alright. I am proud of you for being so ahead of the game, and embracing the importance of female relationships.



all images are screengrabs from rookiemag.com

Of Film Fests and Funny Folk

My favourite guy, Daniel Warth, got into his first film festival.

I KNOW, right? Very exciting and totally deserved. His film, It Won't Be Long, is part of the National Screen Institute's Short Film Festival. Best of all, it's a digital festival, so it's available to watch anywhere in the world.

It Won't Be Long is about a shy man who falls for his barber. It only clocks in at just under 10 minutes, but it feels like the kind of romantic-comedy sorely lacking in mainstream film these days—understated, bittersweet, with genuinely likable characters. AND it stars the very first film debut of my hands! (Yes, those ARE my paws squirting shampoo. Sorry to ruin the illusion for you).

So pretend you're eating popcorn, and I hope you enjoy!

It Won't Be Long from Daniel Warth on Vimeo.

In addition to that, Daniel is trying to find funding for his next film, a romantic-comedy about burglars called, for now, Petty Thieves. Along with one of the cowriters, Aaron Feldman (it's also being written with Madeleine Cohen), they've made this very funny little video to ask for donations. I stifled my laughter really awkwardly watching this at work, so if you like laughter and have a spare four minutes, you should definitely give it a watch.

"Petty Thieves" IndieGoGo Promo from Daniel Warth on Vimeo.

Please spread the word, and help support these very funny and talented people!

For Your Pennies' Consideration

I love feeling inspired by the work I see my friends doing. I feel surge of pride when I read their names printed magazines they've contributed to or come up in the credits after TV shows or films they've worked long hours on. There's really nothing like it, and it makes me want to help out in any way I can. Luckily, having this little corner of the internet makes it easier to feature our friends' creations.

IndieGoGo - The Fox & the Chickadee from Evan DeRushie on Vimeo

A generally awesome guy I know, Evan DeRushie, is trying to fund his stop-motion animated short film, The Fox and the Chickadee. It looks like a pretty sweet concept from the promo video he's created, and I've loved Evan's earlier work, including this cool little music video he directed for The Jessica Stuart Few. I'd say he animated the whole thing too, but he got more than 80 people to draw each frame, giving it this vibrant, energetic look. Check it out:

The Fox and the Chickadee is already partially funded by the National Film Board of Canada and has a crew of animators on board to make it move, but he's trying to raise the money to craft the beautifully detailed sets and puppets. There are lots of cool extras up for grabs when you donate, so you get something more than pure warm and fuzzies out of the deal (I signed up for a DVD of the finished product, complete with making-of features).

I know in the past, I've loved contributing to independents I haven't known working on new and exciting projects. I just wanted to share this one with you because a) I think it'll be totally awesome, b) I selfishly like my pride to feel justified, and c) I'd like to help Evan out (I am stealing his roommate – it's the least I can do).

For more details, please check out his IndieGoGo page!